Shimmer Eclipse - A tale of a young criminal
by Lyra Heartstrings or Tuquorise
Summary: Holley was pregnant, and she wasn't supposed to be. She has two decisions-keep or abort the baby. It may look simple, but her decision might change the fate of the world's future. Rated T for some mild adult themes.
1. I - Beginning

Chapter I- Beggining

**Humanized. Take that in mind. :) My first ever attempt to write a Cars fic. Tell me how you think. I ship Finn/Holley like crazy!**

**I don't own Cars 2.**

The results didn't lie. How could it? It was reliable, normal and perfectly accurate.

Holley was pregnant. She wasn't supposed to be. After all, she was single, and spies have tons of missions and tasks to complete, not to mention life threatening. There was no way she was able to take care of a child. Was she prepared to be a mother? Probably not. She didn't even know what it takes to be one. She didn't even have the time to take care of the child. Who will when she was away at work?

Another question, who was the father? She wasn't dating anyone. She had always bear in mind of this sentence: _Friendship can be dangerous in our line of work._ That involves romantic relationships. She had a small crush on Finn, but she knew that their relationship weren't able to work out. Finn was ten years older than her. Plus, he never allowed his emotions get in the way of his work.

Holley stared at the pregnancy test kit _(Am I right? Correct me if I am wrong)_ she purchased for a _"friend";_ she lied to the doctor into selling it to her. After all, a spy would never plan to have a child anyway.

Clutching on the pregnancy test kit, Holley shivered violently. What was she going to do now? She can't afford to be a single mother!

Suddenly, there was a knock on the washroom door that snapped Holley from her thoughts.

"Holley? Holley! What's taking you so long in there?" It was Finn. Holley flustered and dumped the pregnancy test kit into the mini dustbin.

"I'm coming!" She yelled as she drenched her hands and slammed the door open. Unfortunately, it slammed at Finn's face. He groaned in pain, rubbing his sore nose.

"What was that for?" He said in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry! It wasn't on purpose, I swear!" Holley apologized profusely.

"Are you okay? You seem a little...odd. Is something bothering you?" Finn asked in concern. This made Holley panic.

"No, no, no! I'm perfectly fine! Just err... hehehe... down with Monday Blues. That's all!" Holley blabbered, causing Finn to raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Holley, today is Tuesday. From the looks of it, you do really have something bothering you. Calm down and tell me what it is."

_NO! There is no way that I can tell Finn! It's just so... embarrassing! _

"No! Nothing, really! I... need some time alone, please?"

Finn looked doubtful, but let it slip, "Alright then. If there is really a problem you can't handle, you can always look for me, or Siddeley."

Holley nodded, trying her best to look calm. Finn smiled and left her alone.

After he left Holley squatted on the floor, covering her confused and scared face. What was she going to do? She can't keep her situation under wraps forever. Her womb would reveal it. Plus, she couldn't bear to go for an abortion. It's a life we were talking about here, and aborting the child is like committing murder. Even so, keeping the child was in fact difficult. There was a high chance of her having a miscarriage.

She had no idea what to do.

…

A week later, they received a new mission for CHROME. They had to track down a serial robber who robbed banks and innocent children in France.

"Alright. First, we take down his whereabouts. Next, we... Miss Shiftwell, are you alright. You seem pretty nervous. Calm down. It's not the first time that you handled a mission before. This will be a piece of cake for you."

"Hmm... you must be right." Holley murmured, nodding.

…

"Miss Shiftwell! Get in position!" Finn hissed to his partner, aiming his machine gun at the robber who was harassing a young girl for her pocket money. Holley fished out her taser clumsily.

Suddenly, Finn fired, making Holley jump. She was at a loss. Should she go? She should;she had to help his partner! On the other hand, she did not want to risk in losing the baby that she was carrying.

"Miss Shiftwell! Don't just stand there! Help me out!" Finn yelled as he struggled.

Holley snapped out from her thoughts and aimed her taser at the robber. Soon, he was electrocuted, stiff as a statue.

"Good one." Finn complimented his partner.

"Err... yeah. Good one..."

…

Over the next few weeks, Holley somehow always got lucky every mission; always successfully completing a mission and leave with her and the baby unharmed. Holley doesn't know how long she can keep this up. She knew that somewhat, she might lose the baby in a particular mission. Only goddess knows when.

During a particular evening, Holley was eating her dinner. The potato on her plate smelled scrumptious. Just as Holley took a bite, her eyes widened as she rushed to the washroom to spit out the food.

"Ugh. Gross." Holley murmured as she stepped out of the washroom, only to catch Finn's attention.

"Miss Shiftwell, I thought you liked potatoes. Why the sudden change in diet?"

"I...I can't answer your question."

However, on the fifth week of her pregnancy, something almost caused her cover to be blown.

Finn and Holley were doing their research on a criminal, when suddenly, Holley felt a sickening feeling in her stomach. Covering her mouth with her hands, she dashed to the washroom and puked. She had been like this from the fourth week of her pregnancy until the fifth.

"Miss Shiftwell? Are you okay? I think you should consult a doctor for treatment." Finn advised his partner.

Holley nodded, "Alright. I'll guess I'll see the doctor and find out what's wrong with me."

Actually, what Holley had in plan was far more different than consulting a doctor for treatment. She wanted to know who the father is-and how to break the news to her friends.

…

Holley took the brown envelope that contained the test results from the doctor with shaking hands. She muttered a quick 'thanks' before walking out of the room.

Sitting down on a waiting chair, Holley gingerly opened the envelope. She slipped her fingers into it and fished out a piece of paper with the results printed on it.

Holley had a shock of her life when she read it.

…

"Holley, what's wrong? You seem confused. Is anything the matter?" Finn asked for the thousandth time.

Holley jumped in fright. She tensed up even more when she realized that Finn was talking to her. "Nothing! Really, nothing! I'm perfectly fine, really!"

Finn didn't seem convinced, "Holley. You have been acting strangely for the past five weeks. There must be something bothering you. Don't deny it, Miss Shiftwell. Tell me what exactly is going on."

Suddenly, Holley burst into tears and cried," You won't understand even if I told you! You'd be mad at me if I ever reveal it! I even might... lose my job!" She dashed off, leaving a stunned Finn behind.

Finn walked into Holley's room. His eyes trailed along the room and fixed on a brown envelope that was open, exposing a white sheet of paper. Being a busybody, he took a glance at the sheet of paper. His eyes trailed along the black, printed words-when suddenly-one particular section caught his eye.

_Status: Pregnant_

_Mother: Holley Shiftwell_

_Father: Finn McMissile_

Finn nearly choked in shock. _What the hell? Holley is pregnant and __**I'm**__ the father? This... this is impossible! How... how can this be true? Don't tell me..._

"Who do you think you are?!" A yell could be heard at the doorway. Finn turned his head to face a fuming Holley with her fists clenched, ready to punch whoever offended her.

"I-I-I can explain! Just now... err...I..." Finn stammered, unable to explain the situation to her.

"Why'd you peek at that, of all things?!" She snapped, before sighing in regret, "Well, it looks like you know the situation already; lash at me when you're ready."

Holley half expected a slap, but instead, Finn placed his hands on her shoulders and said in a soothing voice, "Look, how can I ever scold you? I mean, come on! You didn't expect this to happen, did you?"

Holley responded by nodding gingerly, still unable to look at Finn in the eye.

"Look at me." Finn ordered in a serious tone. Holley tilted her head up, to meet Finn's eyes.

"Let's go through this together, shall we?" He reassured.

All Holley could murmur was a soft 'yes'.

**So, how'd I fair? Good? Terrible? Please be honest in your reviews. I don't like to receive false compliments. Constructive criticism is welcomed! Deconstructive criticism will either be ignored or deleted. Thank you.**


	2. II - Coping

Chapter II-Coping

**Thank you everyone for the reviews! In case you guys are confused about why Holley was so panicky and didn't know who the father was, well, let's just say that she can't remember the exact events that happened before her pregnancy.**

A few days later, Holley was seated at her desk, scanning records of criminals for the year. Somehow, the numbers were rising. The government has added more security to shops, offices and houses, hoping for the numbers to drop. However, his efforts were futile.

The rising numbers made Holley shiver. Why break the law when you know you'll get caught eventually? Bad guys are generally smart, but a pity that their knowledge are used for evil.

Suddenly, her digital clock beeped, signaling her that she was done for the day. Yawning, she stretched her arms in the air and slumped her exhausted body to bed.

…

"So Finn, you have a kid?" Siddeley asked. It was hard to believe that the Finn McMissile would have a child.

Finn sighed, "Yes, it's the complete truth, Sid."

"Have you decided whether to keep or abort the kid? Are you even prepared to be a parent yet?"

"I'm not sure. It's up to Holley..."

"Oh, alright then."

…

Even though Holley was exhausted, somehow, she wasn't able to doze off, which was just so peculiar. Her mind was preoccupied with thoughts—about her baby.

_Should I keep the baby? I could, but who is going to take care of him or her when I'm away? Should I abort it? I could, but I can't bear to do it! It's a life that we're talking about here!_

Dizzy in her own thoughts, her eyelids suddenly felt heavy, and in a few seconds later, she dozed off.

…

For the past few weeks, Holley pondered on whether to keep or abort it. It was just so hard to decide! One wrong move and she may regret it for the rest of her life.

However, one fateful night, her question was answered.

_Keep the baby._ A deep, male voice spoke.

"W-w-what? Who's there?" Holley asked, her voice echoing through her room.

_Keep the baby_. The voice repeated.

"K-keep it? Are you-you sure about this?"

_Keep the baby._ The voice repeated again.

"O-okay. I'll keep the baby. Stop pestering me, alright?"

Silence.

"I guess we made a deal then."

…

As she promised, Holley kept the baby. After CHROME learned about the situation, they allowed her to step out of her missions, only doing research.

The next step was to marry Finn. She had to, as she didn't want to keep an illegitimate child.

Things went smoother than expected. Soon, Holley realized that Finn also had feelings for her. They dated for a period of time and got married.

During her wedding night, she personally spoke to her ex-boyfriend, Mater. _(They broke up)._

"Congrats to both of ya." He replied in a jolly voice.

"Thank you so much. So, you don't hold any grudges against me for breaking up with you?"

Mater gasped dramatically, "Why in the world would I ever do such a thing?"

"So, we're still friends?"

"Of course! Best friends forever!" Mater cheered as he hugged Holley tightly, careful not to hurt the child. Holley beamed.

_The child would be fine._ Holley reassured herself..

…

The baby was born eight months later. Holley could remember the _pain_, oh, the pain. It was unbearable. It felt as if her organs were in flames, and were going to burst any minute. She really wanted to give up, but after Finn's encouragement, she finally managed to bring her baby into the world.

The baby was a girl. She had dark indigo hair. Her eyes were very pale green and pale peach skin. She was sleeping peacefully in the hospital crib. Holley was resting in the bed, stroking her child's hair lovingly. Finally, her baby is born.

"What do you want to name her?"

"I'm not sure. You decide for me, Finn?"

"What, me? I'm not the best in giving names!"

"Just give it a shot!"

"Umm, okay. How about... a name that describes her appearance? More like, Celestia?"

"Nah."

"How about... Janet?"

"Too common."

"Katy?"

"She's not a singer!"

"Blimey! This is tougher than I thought!" Finn complained as he hit his head with his fist, racking his brain for ideas. After a minute, he sighed in defeat, "I can't think of any."

"How about, Shimmer?" Holley suggested.

"Not bad." _(I hope this name doesn't suck!)_

**...**

One year old Shimmer McMissile was playing her toys, her eyes glancing around her room. She was taken care of by a babysitter, but it looks like she wasn't doing a good job.

Shimmer got bored in her crib, so she tried to get out. However, she was too short. Being an intelligent little girl, she staked her pillows and blanket to boost herself. Finally, after minutes of struggling, she managed to climb off the crib and land her bottom on the floor.

The landing hurt, alright. However, her instincts were yelling at her_, don't cry! Don't! The babysitter will hear you and send you back to the crib again!_

Shimmer shut her pale green eyes to bear with the stinging pain. The door was left open, and so she crept outside.

The babysitter was away to do some shopping. The house was in a mess. Food wrappers and leftover crumbs were strewn all over the floor, the television was still left on and the water still boiling in the kettle, even though the gas should be turned off already.

As a curious child, Shimmer crawled over to the crumbs, picked them up and tasted it. It tastes like salt and dust at the same time. She spat out the crumbs in disgust. Never again was she going to eat food strewn on floors again.

…

The babysitter was fired. Shimmer got a bad stomachache for eating the leftover crumbs on the floor. Her face crumpled in discomfort while clutching on her soft stomach with her tiny hands. She clamped her mouth with her hands to prevent Holley from feeding her medicine.

"Take it, Shimmie." Holley cooed, holding the syringe that contained the medicine.

Shimmer shook her head stubbornly..

"Come on."

She shook her head again.

"Doctor Holley expected that." She said in a childish voice, before thinking for a while.

"I'll let you play outside for a whole day once you get better."

That seemed to work. Shimmer jolted upright and opened her mouth. When Holley gave her daughter the medicine, she coughed, sticking out her tiny pink tongue. Seeing this, Holley gave her some water from a baby bottle. Shimmer gulped down the water, like as if she hasn't drank water for days.

"There, see? After taking your medicine, you will get better and play as much as you want."

…

"Huzzah! How many points do I get?" Shimmer asked enthusiastically. Six year old Shimmer was playing at the vast deserts of Radiator Springs. The family were staying there on a vacation. She was playing 'Shoot The Bad Guys' with Mater. It was basically a game where you have to shoot down 20 cardboard criminals with 20 water balloons. When you knock down one, you receive one point.

"7 points! Much better than your last try." Shimmer did a mini victory dance.

"Watch me, kiddo!" Mater called as he aimed the water balloons at the cardboard criminals. In the end, he managed to knock them all down.

"Wow! So cool! I wish to be just like you, uncle mater!"

"Well, all you need is practice. You'll soon get the hang of it!" Mater encouraged the six year old.

It was twilight when Mater decided that it was time for Shimmer to return back to the motel. At first, she was reluctant, but in the end she returned to the motel with Mater.

When she returned, Shimmer found out that her parents were not there. They must have gone for dinner. However, she didn't felt hungry, so she went to bed early.

During her sleep, she thought she heard someone sneaking into the room and carrying her somewhere else. _Must be daddy and mummy. I might have fallen asleep on the floor, and they might be carrying me back to bed._

…

When Shimmer woke up, she found herself sleeping on something hard and cold. Groaning, she fluttered her eyelids open to find herself lying on a concrete floor in a dark and damp room. The paint was peeling off the walls. There were no windows, so the only source of light was coming from a lamp attached to the ceiling.

_Where am I?_ Shimmer thought as she looked around warily, with a scared expression written all over her face. Suddenly, the door swung open, and a scurfy man walked in. Shimmer looked at him with her innocent eyes.

"Why, hello there kid. I've seen you've woken up." The man said.

"Where am I?" Shimmer asked, not tearing her gaze off her kidnapper.

"Where? You're in an abandoned factory."

"Abanda—_what_ now?"

He facepalmed, "Never mind. Just be a good girl and stay here."

"Umm, okay, but err...WAIT!"

"What is it?" He asked, annoyed.

"Can you stay with me? I'm bored, and I miss daddy and mummy." Shimmer pleaded him, staring at him with her huge, innocent eyes.

He sighed in defeat, "Fine. I'm supposed to guard you anyway."

**That's all for now, folks! I'll continue at the next chapter. I have the next chapter planned out, so you'll expect an update next Monday or so.**


	3. III - People from the past

Chapter III—People from the past

**Now for replying and stuff:**

**MereMcQueen314: I don't know much about Finn, but you're right, maybe 'Blimey' is better. **_I don't even know what 'Blimey' is! XD_

**I claimed to update on Monday but seriously, too-much-ideas!**

"What's your name?" Shimmer asked.

"Acer. Why?"

"Mummy says that you have to ask someone of their name when you meet them."

"It's really boring to guard a little kid like you. Tell you what, would you like me to tell you about the others—or kidnappers?"

"Alright then. I'm bored anyway."

Acer took a deep breath, before sharing his story, "You see, I have this friend called Grem. We used to hang out with each other when we were younger. Our lives were beautiful and glorious. However, after our parents died, our houses were sold and we had to live in a run-down apartment. When we met up with the professor and his gang, we realized that they had the same desires as us."

"What desires?" Shimmer asked in curiosity.

"You see, those bunch of people come from complicated family backgrounds, and we are always ridiculed at. Our desire was to take over the world, and make others respect us"

"Woah! That's cool!" Shimmer exclaimed, her pale green eyes sparkling in awe.

"Yes, of course. But unfortunately, that... never happened." Acer sighed, a hint of shame in his voice.

"What happened?"

"Our plans were progressing smoothly, until two spies interfered in it, turning everything into a complete failure."

"Who are those spies?"

Acer's eyes widened and stared at the six year old, before saying, "You don't really wanna know."

As soon as he finished his sentence, Acer left, as he was being ordered to do something that Shimmer had no clue about what it is.

"Poor guy. He became evil because he wanted people to respect him." Shimmer said quietly to herself. Maybe bad guys aren't really that bad after all.

…

"What? She's missing. H-how that can be? Ah saw her returning back to the motel during the evening, honest!" Mater defended himself.

That night, Finn and Holley found out that their daughter was missing. They went on a spree on questioning the residents of Radiator Springs. The last person that saw her was Mater, so they began pouring questions on him. However, they stopped when they realized how much pressure that they have been giving him.

"Okay, you claimed that you last saw her heading back to the motel, right?" Holley questioned.

"Yeah. I didn't know how she got missing. Maybe she just ran off somewhere?"

"That is a possibility, but she never dares to wander off too far."

"So, you're telling me..."

"Kidnapped?" Mater gasped, for real.

"Yeah." Holley replied.

Mater bowed his head in shame. "Listen, this is all my fault. If I'd paid more attention to her, none of this would have ever happened. I'm a terrible guardian."

Holley placed a hand on his shoulders, trying to comfort him, "Listen. This is _not_ your fault. We will rescue Shimmer, alright?"

Suddenly, Mater turned to face Holley, his expression showing signs of sadness and regret. "Let me assist you with you on your mission, please. I want to help, too." He pleaded desperately.

Holley's face softened and replied in a soothing voice, "Of course you can." Mater beamed in satisfaction.

…

Meanwhile, things weren't going well for Shimmer. Being stuck in a dark and compressed room wasn't on her wish list. She spent her time poking her fingers on the ground, humming a random tune which she made up herself.

Finally, she let out a restless grunt before shouting, "Ugh! I'm _soooo _bored!"

Shimmer let out a sigh of defeat, bowing her head in total boredom. She continued humming softly, before an idea struck her.

"_Idea..."_

Shimmer scrambled to a tattered cardboard box that was kept at the back of the room and opened it. Dust escaped and floated around the damp air. She coughed. When the dust settled, she rummaged through the objects that were contained in the cardboard box.

All Shimmer found was aluminum foil, shards of glass and stones. What could she do with them? She thought for a while, before her eyes lit up. Another idea!

Shimmer tore up the aluminum foil and wrapped the shards of glass with it. When she was done with all of them, she rounded up all the stones. Standing up she hurled the stones at the aluminum-wrapped glass shards. The objective of the game was to try and break the glass with the stones.

Well, at least Shimmer had some entertainment to last her for a while...

…

"Any idea where she is?" Finn asked Holley, who had her eyes glued to the computer screen.

"That would be easy. Here!" Holley confirmed, shoving her laptop for Finn to see. A blinking red dot was seen in a tight room in some sort of building.

"How did you do that?"

"Simple. I placed a tracking device on her. I knew she would run into some sort of kidnapping cases, so I wanted to protect her. I'm her mother after all!"

"Yeah, I knew that."

"Where to, sir?" Siddeley asked through the radio.

"Tell you what, Sid. I'll drive the jet, alright?" Finn offered. Siddeley looked unsure.

"Are you really sure about that? Do you even have a license anyway?" Finn waved a hand.

"It's fine! I have a license!" Finn replied, flashing his license to a stunned Siddeley. Siddeley took some time to stare at it, before nodding in approval.

**...**

"Huzzah! I managed to break all of them! Yeah!" Shimmer cheered in glee. Grem, who was guarding her, rolled his eyes. Obviously, he didn't see any interest in a six year old game.

"I don't see what reason there is to guard a little twit like you. Seriously, you're six years old! How can you escape?" Grem complained.

"Escape? From what? You're not scary!"

"You know... running back home to your parents. You miss them, don't you?" Grem explained, staring at the child awkwardly.

"But, I don't know the way back. I might get lost, so it's better to stay here." Shimmer replied honestly.

Grem gave out a huge sigh of relief. _Thank goodness. I don't have to go over a craze spree to recapture a six year old. _

"Umm... sir? May I ask you a question?" Shimmer piped up.

"Shot it."

"Why did you lock me in here for?" She asked in confusion.

At first, Grem did not know how to answer. He used his fist to knock his temple, racking for ideas. _Oh lord, how am I going to explain about kidnapping to a six year old?! C'mon Grem! Think, think, think! _After a minute of brainstorming, he replied, "The reason is because, err... we need to talk to your parents, and locking you up here will ensure that they arrive."

Shimmer raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Why? Can't you call and ask to meet them?"

This made Grem even more desperate for another lie. He managed to stammer, " This is because... err...your parents don't come early, and locking you here would ensure them to come earlier! Hehehe... understand?"

The kidnapped girl gave him a _what-in-the-world-are-you-talking-about _face. Annoyed, Grem facepalmed. "Ugh... never mind. You won't understand if I explained to you a million times."

…

The two spies and the tow truck driver arrived at a worn down, abandoned factory. Debris was seen everywhere. Spoilt objects were discarded at the side of the factory. Inside, men were scurrying to different destinations, doing some sort of business the trio had no idea of.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Mater whispered to Holley.

"I'm absolutely sure that we are in the correct place, Mater. According to the tracking device, Shimmer must be held captive at one of the storerooms." Holley confirmed, staring at her mini laptop.

Meanwhile, Professor Z was shooting orders at the men like a machine gun.

"Get your lazy bum to work!"

"How are we going to get our revenge if you don't cooperate fully?!"

"Now! Now!"

With the men distracted in their work, Finn, Holley and Mater were able to sneak past them easily. Passing through endless hallways and men, Mater kept questioning Holley if they were lost, but Holley kept assuring him that they are not.

Finally, they managed to locate the room that Shimmer was held captive in.

**It's over. I ended this with a cliffhanger. :p**


	4. IV - Confrontation

Chapter IV—Confrontation

"Dad gum! We finally found it!" Mater cheered in victory.

"Sush! Quiet Mater! We don't want anyone to hear us!" Finn tried to shush the excited man.

"This is the plan, we'll break the lock and then we'll break th- Oh shit." Holley was explaining the plan, when she suddenly cursed, which was unlikely of her to do.

"What is it Hol- Oh..."

The trio realised that they were surrounded by men, aiming their guns at them, smirks written on their faces.

"You wanna do this the hard way? We'll do this the hard way!" Mater huffed, challenging them to a battle.

"What does it seems then?" One of the men sneered.

"Mater! Be careful! Don't do anything risky!" Holley warned.

**…**

With a yawn, Shimmer laid down on the floor, exhausted. After her mini game, she somehow used up a large amount of energy. Stretchin her short arms and legs, she adjusted herself to a comfortable position. It was tough to sleep comfortably on a concrete floor filled with dust and debris. Finally, she managed to fall asleep, hiding her face under her arms, snoring softly.

After fifteen minutes, Shimmer woken from her sleep. She was breathing heavily and sweating all over. Yes, I know what you all are thinking-she had a nightmare.

Suddenly, she could hear numerous gunshots.

"EEK! THE ALIENS ARE INVADING THE EARTH! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" Shimmer screeched at the top of her lungs. She scurried and huddled herself in a corner.

The door opened a few seconds later, with Acer peeking in.

"Are there any aliens out there?" Shimmer asked in a fearful voice.

Acer rolled his eyes and grunted, "No."

With a sigh, Shimmer took some time to calm her nerves. After that, she stared at Acer and asked, "What's out there?"

He waved his hand nonchalantly before leaving, leaving a dazed Shimmer staring blankly at the door. Determined to find out what events were happening, she rushed to the door. Shimmer tried to open the door knob, but she was too short. She needed a boost, and she knew just exactly what.

Pushing the cardboard box next to the door, she used it as a boost. Finally, she managed to reach the door knob. Shimmer opened the door a little and peeked outside. _Nobody? Good._

As silently as possible, Shimmer tiptoed out. She did not want to risk being caught. Trying her best to pick up any sound, Shimmer cleared her ears. Soon, she detected some shouting down the hallways. Excitement ran through her body as she headed towards the shouting.

When she reached her destination, men were seeing running in all directions, some were even holding weapons. Gunshots filled the air, scaring the daylights out of the six year old.

Shimmer scurried to a hiding spot, which was under an worn out wooden table. _So that's what the commotion is all about. I must escape or I'll get killed!_

How, if you ask. This is quite a difficult task for Shimmer. One wrong move and to the hospital she goes, and how she hates it there. _Think, Shimmie, think. What should you do? Maybe hide behind the men so I won't get hit by those 'thingies?' Alright, action!_

Swift and agile by nature, plus being small sized, she was able to dodge the bullets and use the men as her shield. Finally, she managed to reach the exit. Sprinting out of the factory at full speed, she headed to the forest that was next to the abandoned factory. Heading deeper and deeper into the forest, Shimmer stuck out her tiny pink tongue. Oh, how much she craved for a glass of water!

Unable to run any further, she collapsed on the forest floor full of dried leaves and twigs, groaning. _Those 'thingies' are terrible! I could have died... wait, where am I? OH NO! I'm lost! _Shimmer let out a restless groan and repeatedly slammed her face on her palms. _STUPID ME, STUPID 'THINGIES', STUPID IDIOT LEGS! STUPID STUPID STUPID! _

"It's all your fault!" Shimmer scolded herself, before collapsing on the ground once again.

**…**

"Dad Gum! Take that, idiots!" Mater yelled in triumph over the defeated men.

"Where's Shimmer?" Finn asked Holley.

"Let me check..." Holley replied as she took out her mini laptop and pressed the power button.

When she saw it, she got a huge shock.

The red dot was nowhere to be found on the map.

"What in the name of..." Finn said, jaw dropping.

"Where in the wide wide world is she then?" Mater asked Holley, who was too shocked to say anything.

"I-don't-know..."

**…**

Shimmer was humming a made up tune while poking her fingers on the dried leaves. Getting lost in a forest and being thirsty was a terrible experience for her. She would be like this, until someone finds her and return her to her parents.

It was dusk already, and the sun was beginning to set down the west horizon. Soon, it'll be dark, and what dangers lurk around in the forest at night? Shimmer doesn't know, and she never wants to. What will she have for dinner? Where will she sleep; if her parents are not able to find her until dark? Will she even return to them in one piece?

A chilly breeze blew through the forest, causing Shimmer to shiver in cold. Another cold, but stronger wind blew, causing the leaves on the trees to rustle. She wrapped her palms together, trying her best to calm down.

Eventually, the sky turned from dark orange to dark purple, the sun barely visible. The forest air grew colder as the temperature dropped drastically. Shimmer curled herself into a ball, trying to conserve body heat. _ They'll never find me. I'll be stuck here, and later some animals will come and eat me. _Shimmer taught to herself, hanging her head down, her face showing no signs of hope. Letting out a sigh, she stared at the ground.

Suddenly, Shimmer heard some rustling noises. She tilted her head up, and sure enough, the sounds were coming from the bushes. The six year old's chest grew tight as her breathing became raspy and her heart beating wildly. _Oh no! An animal's gonna get me! _She held her breath as she waited for some sort of hungry, wild animal to pounce on her. However, there was no impact.

Gingerly, she tilted her head to face... a human. Thank the lord. The human was someone familiar, and Shimmer knew exactly who he was.

"Siddy! Yay!" Shimmer cheered in glee as he glopped him, causing Siddeley to stumble a little. Man, that kid is strong.

"I knew I'd find you. I saw you running all this way here, after freaking out by hearing the gunshots."

"Oh, you mean those 'thingies' that zoom here and there really, really fast? Gun—what now?"

Siddeley giggled nervously," Never mind, let's get you back to your parents, alright?"

"Huzzah! Yes, please!" Shimmer squealed as Siddeley gave the toddler a piggyback.

**…**

"Any luck finding her?" Finn called out.

Holley shook her head in dismay, "No, nothing."

Finn sighed, and just as he was about to search somewhere else...

"BLEAH!"

Finn yelped in surprise, lost his balance and landed on his butt. He groaned before getting up to his feet. His eyes laid upon his daughter and Siddeley, who were rolling on the floor, laughing their heads off.

"It's not funny, you know." Finn said, with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"But it is!" Siddeley croaked, before bursting into laughter again.

It took the two a while to stop laughing. By then, their eyes were wet with tears and their bodies ached all over.

"Let's go home, alright?" Shimmer asked Finn.

Finn nodded, "Alright, but don't you scare me again next time."

**Oh my lord, I just had a heart attack when I found out that my father only allowed me to spend three hours on the computer. It may seem a lot, but to me, it's never enough. Plus, my school has just started, so you won't be expecting early updates. Sorry people :( **

**I promise you, I have a lot of inspiration for this story, and the I'm about to end the intro and move on to the rising action after a few more chapters.**


	5. V - Playing a magical mockery

Chapter V—Playing a magical mockery

_Nononononono! This can't be, it just can't be! _Ten year old Shimmer thought to herself as she tripped for for the sixth time. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the gaze of the examiners on her. It wasn't a good feeling; it was the feeling of being judged, and very critically. No matter how much she tried to concentrate, but for some reason, she was acting like a total klutz.

_I have to do something... or I'll fail! _Failing was something that Shimmer feared the most.

_I wish they would just say something, instead of being so quiet... _Shimmer knew that she wasn't impressing the judges. Normally, she had great speed and agility, but she could only make full use of it when she's outdoors or left alone. The oppressive silence of the examination hall wasn't helping.

Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as she got up on her feet again, trying to jump over the obstacle. She braced herself as she focused as hard as she could, and tried to leap. However, her feet refused to move. It was a feeling as though someone had glued her feet. Finally, she sat on the cold floor in defeat.

Shimmer relaxed, catching her breath.

"Miss Eve." The proctor's voice caused her spine to go rigid, as she knew what was coming next.

"Your display of your physical ability was... less than expected, to say at least." Shimmer let out a sigh.

"It is with great regret that we cannot admit you to C.H.R.O.M.E Academy." Well, this was it then. Shimmer wished that she would just beat the bush and tell her instead of stating the facts.

_I had one chance to get into this school, and I blew it. _Shimmer hung her head, a combination of embarrassment and crushed dreams following her out of the examination hall.

First of all, after her kidnapping incident when she was six, she soon realised that they held her captive for one reason—her parents. Her captives wanted revenge on them for years of serving their sentence in C.H.R.O.M.E prison. Shimmer knew very well that one day, her parents would be too old to defend themselves anymore. Thus, being a spy meant that she could protect her parents from the face of danger.

Secondly, when Shimmer signed up as a candidate for the entrance exam, she placed her name as 'Shimmer Belle Eve'. The reason being was she knew that her parents were the greatest spies C.H.R.O.M.E had, and if she failed, she wouldn't bring shame to the McMissile family name.

Yes, she knew that being a spy was a dangerous and risky job, but she felt that it was worth it. But, she failed the entrance exam. What now?

As she walked through the hallways of the academy, people were murmuring something—about her.

'That kid just failed the entrance exam.'

'She must have failed terribly. Look at her expression.'

'Poor thing.'

Shimmer's ears burned and tears threatened to spill out from her very pale green eyes. _What right do they have to gossip about my failure? It's just so mean!_

**…**

Shimmer clutched her pillow tightly, pouring her heart out. Her parents tried to comfort her, but she rushed into her room when she returned home. Even Siddeley, who was the best of comforters, was of no help. Her only spark of comfort was her favourite light blue car doll, Sky. It was a gift from her mother when she was seven.

Shimmer felt frustrated and depressed at the same time. Frustrated, because she wasn't able to showcase her talents to the judges during her entrance exam. Depressed, because she was not able to admit into the academy and fulfill her dream.

What could she do, now that she knew that she couldn't be a spy?

**...**

Night has fallen. Shimmer lay on her bed, clutching Sky tightly to her chest. Her pillow was stained with tears. Absentmindedly, she slipped out of bed, taking Sky with her. She placed her plushie on the table before taking out a worn out handbook for the students of C.H.R.O.M.E Academy. This was the book Finn used during his days at the academy, and he passed the book down to her, knowing that she would make full use of it.

Shimmer opened the book and flipped through the yellowed pages. She started to read the intro.

_Welcome to C.H.R.O.M.E Academy. We are pleased to train you into becoming a professional spy. With proper guidance from our trainers, we are confident of a bright future ahead of you. Now, let's..._

Shimmer slammed the book shut, the sound of the book shutting echoed through the quiet room. There wasn't anything in there to help her get into the academy, she knew for sure.

"An open window, and fresh air is what I need." Shimmer thought aloud as she walked to the windows, gently pushing it open, letting the cool night air wash over her. The sky was crystal clear, the full moon was in view, as its light faintly illuminated the ground. The stars were like polished diamonds twinkling softly. For a moment, Shimmer felt that all her misery was washed away as she admired the fascinating yet mysterious night. She let out a deep sigh. Looking at her wall cock, she realized that it was already way past midnight. She let out another deep sigh.

"I suppose I should get some sleep." She murmured before accentuating her point with a yawn. It had been a long day, or she would say the longest of her life. Never before she was under so much pressure, anger and sadness, not realizing how tired it made her.

Shimmer slumped herself onto the bed once more, pulling the covers to her chin. She snuggled Sky close to her, drying away a tear that tried to drip on her beloved doll.

"I... I just wished...I just wished today never happened. I wish that I was never kidnapped. Then I wouldn't have the desire to become a spy..." Shimmer closed her eyes, determined to fall into a deep slumber and escape into a world of dreams, where she would carry problems no more.

Shimmer felt herself starting to doze; her eyelids became heavy and her mind began to relax. Just before sleep enveloped her, she heard a noise. Her eyes snapped open, sitting straight up. She cleared her ears and tried to detect the noise, and heard it again. It sounded like a quiet whisper, and she thought it was calling her name.

"H-hello?" Shimmer questioned to the darkness. There was a reply, but was too faint to hear, but she was sure that it was a voice calling out to her. She just knew it!

Shimmer gingerly pushed her covers aside, and crept to the edge of her bed.

"W-who's there? Show yourself!" Shimmer asked timidly, before demanding in a so called tough voice. She wasn't sure if it was just her wild imagination or not. Once more, the voice could be heard, and this time, she could tell that it was coming from outside. She stepped towards her window. Suddenly, the voice was as clear as the night sky.

"Listen closely, kid." The voice seemed like it was coming from the sky. "I see a lot of potential in you. You are far smarter and skilled than anybody I've come across."

"W-who are you anyway?" Shimmer asked, eyes locked at the sky.

"Me? Well, I am the smartest person that had once stepped foot on the Earth. I am Miles Axelrod." The voice stated with a small hint of pride in his name.

"Miles Axelrod..." Shimmer murmured.

"Yes, kid. That is my name."

"No disrespect, but why are you talking to _me?_" Shimmer asked in a curious tone. "But, you've passed away three years ago, so that means I'm talking to a spirit! Yes! I knew that people could communicate with spirits! Shimmer one, experts zero." Shimmer said in satisfaction, waiting patiently for a reply from the spirit.

"I speak to you, Shimmer McMissile, not because of what you are, but what you'll be. I am willing to teach you everything you need to know about being a spy, and become the person you are destined to be."

Shimmer's eyes lit up in excitement, "O-of course! When can we start?"

"It's quite simple. All I require you is to leave your family, and come to the ruins of the long lost forgotten city, deep in the forest at the far edge of London." **(I'm not sure if there is really a long lost forgotten city located in a forest in England, I'm just making it up.)**

"You mean that I... I have to leave my hometown? Siddeley? And... and my parents?" Tears formed at the edges of her eyes, threatening to spill. She lost count on how many times she'd cried today.

"Hush, kid. You may feel the pain of separation now, but the pain will fade, and I will care for you as you were my own child." Shimmer sniffed, wiping tears that managed to trickle down her cheek.

"I... I want to learn. B-but isn't there another way? There has to be..."

"There is no other way, I am sorry, kid." Miles's voice was dripping with regret, "You can stay with your family, or you can choose to be my student and become the greatest spy in the world. The choice is yours."

Shimmer stared at the floor, her face showing signs of distress. As much as she loved her family, the offer of someone training her to be a professional spy was something that she couldn't turn down.

After a few minutes of consideration, Shimmer took a deep breath, before looking up to the sky and replying confidently, "I'll accept your offer."

"Good. Take only what you need, and hurry, kid, the night grows short."

Shimmer grabbed her pale yellow bag, sighing as she started packing. She tucked the C.H.R.O.M.E Academy handbook and other spy guidebooks, a few pens and blank sheets of paper. Just as she was about to leave her room, she noticed Sky who was lying at her bed. She walked slowly to Sky and picked him up, and tucked him in along with her books.

"There is no way I'll be leaving you here. You'll be following with me on my journey."

Quiet as a mouse, Shimmer crept slowly down the stairs of her house with a look of fierce determination on her face. A sharp pang of guilt jabbed her heart as she crept passed her parent's room.

"I should at least leave a note, right?" She asked herself. She walked to the dining table, took out her notepad and ripped off a piece of paper and picking up the pen. She began to write:

_Dear Father and Mother,_

_I know you're worried about me, and you must be wondering where I am. Please do not panic or call the cops. I've left to train to become a spy, from someone who doesn't require me to pass an entrance exam, which is something that I would never turn down._

_I love you both so much, and you need not fear about my safety. As for Siddeley, just tell him, he'll always be my best guardian._

_I'm going to miss you all so much. Goodbye..._

_Sincerely, your loving daughter, Shimmer McMissile_

As Shimmer finished, tears ran down her cheeks and onto the note, smearing it. She quickly tucked in her notepad and pen.

Miles Axelrod was waiting, she was sure, but it was tough to say goodbye on such a short notice. She gingerly walked to the door, taking in the sight of her home for one last time. Shimmer opened the door as a gentle night breeze greeted her. Closing it, she stepped out onto the street.

"Lead the way, teacher..."

**Times have changed. C.H.R.O.M.E has been stricter, so students who wish to enter C.H.R.O.M.E Academy must pass an entrance exam. If you have any questions, tell me in the reviews and I'll try to answer as soon as possible.**


	6. VI - Welcome to a new life

Chapter VI—Welcome to a new life

The street lights and the moon were her only source of light to see where Shimmer was going. This was her first time wandering out on her own. Usually, she was accompanied by a grown up when she goes out. Now, she was an unaccompanied minor.

"Yes, continue walking straight, and make a right turn." Miles directed her.

Shimmer did as she was told to. After that, she found herself facing a huge forest ahead.

"Follow the dirt path that leads out of the city and into the forest."

"O-okay." Shimmer replied as she trailed along the dirt path, until she reached the edge of the forest. It looked dark and spooky to Shimmer. She couldn't spot what dangers and horrors awaited for her in there. She took a step, but retreated quickly, obviously afraid to venture in.

"Do not fear, child. I'm watching over you." Miles reassured, causing Shimmer to relax a little.

Taking a deep breath, she murmured to herself '_I can do it,'_before boldly entering the forest. The shadows began to consume her innocent body as she continued walking. The smell of nature mixed together with the cold, crispy forest air. Shimmer couldn't see much, just the path ahead of her that was lit by the moonlight.

As she continued walking deeper into the forest, the snapping of twigs and dry leaves got louder every step. Shimmer detected some sort of smell, more like a decomposing body. She pinched her nose and scurried away from the smell. When the stench was weak enough, she let go of her nose and inhaled deeply.

Shimmer soon encountered a stream. It looked shallow, so she decided to walk across it. Just as she set her foot into the river, she retreated. The water was freezing cold! Shimmer inhaled deeply, counted to three, and leaped into the river. Neither did she realised that she made a huge mistake.

Though the stream looked shallow, it was actually a meter deep. _Eek! Oh no! What am I supposed to do? I'll drown!_ Shimmer tried to reach the surface for air. That was when her light green eyes landed on a stone. She kicked her legs, trying to swim to the rock. Finally, she managed to cling herself on the mossy stone. As Shimmer realised that there were a line of stones, she used the stones to reach the edge of the stream.

When she made it, Shimmer laid on the forest floor, worn out. Her body was dripping wet and shivering, goosebumps all over her skin. The ten year old squeezed out water from her dark indigo hair like draining water from a rag. Shimmer turned to stare at her soaking bag. _Oh well, I'll dry it when I reach the city my teacher told me._She picked up her soaking bag and slung it around her shoulder and continued on her way.

As Shimmer continued on her journey, the fear in her heart grew. She didn't like the atmosphere wrapping the forest, especially not knowing what dangers lurk around the darkness. Somehow, she felt that some starving predator is stalking her, lurking around the thick branches, waiting for the time to be ripe, lastly becoming a meal to the predator.

Suddenly, Shimmer was surrounded by unimaginably thick fog, blinding the ten year old. Shimmer's heart thumped wildly and her breathing became raspy. A million thoughts raced through her mind. _Ohnohnoohnoohno! What am I supposed to do? I can't see anything! What if I trip and hurt myself? What if I stumble across a predator's habitat? What if I fall off a cliff?_

Suddenly, as if by magic, a small glimpse of light lit up a path for her. Shimmer cautiously followed the light. It led her to... an edge of a cliff! Yikes! Shimmer then realised that there was a bridge where she could cross over to the other side. The bridge looked incredibly unstable, and she wasn't sure that it could hold a mouse, let alone a human.

The light travelled across the bridge to the other side. It was as though the light was telling her to cross the bridge. Placing a foot on the bridge, Shimmer pushed down. It was surprisingly sturdy, the board not showing any signs of bending. Gingerly, she stepped onto the bridge, still stepping softly, just to make sure that it was safe. As she placed her weight on the board, it creaked, but didn't give. Shimmer let out a sigh of relief.

It took Shimmer a couple of minutes to get across, and she relaxed when she was on firm ground again. She looked down at the cliff, imagining what might happen if one of the planks had been too weak. Her morbid thoughts were interrupted as the light floated past her and headed into the thick fog.

Shimmer tagged behind the light, her curiosity growing in her heart every second, wondering where the light was taking her to. Soon, the fog began to clear up, Shimmer noticed a path that led into... trees.

"Well, isn't that just perfect..." Shimmer muttered as she followed the path into the trees. After ten minutes of walking, she broke free of the treeline. She was stunned by what she saw.

An abandoned city, once made out of ceramic bricks stood there. The buildings were destroyed until two storeys remained. The windows were smashed into pieces, laying on the dirt. The bricks were scattered around a wide area of land. Moss and made the ruins their home. However, there was one building that stood amongst the others. It looked more like some sort of mansion, only smaller.

Shimmer stood there, dazed. This was the first time she had witnessed real ruins with her own eyes. She began to wonder how many people had actually seen the ruins that lay before her.

"Alright. What should I do first? Explore the area?" Suddenly her head perked up. This was the place where her she was told to meet her teacher! She walked to the large doorway of the huge building, took a deep breath before peeking inside.

Inside was a large chamber, seeming to take up most of its structure. It was mostly bare, except for pieces of broken furniture and a few patterns decorating the floor. At the very far end of the room, there was a raised platform had what appeared to be a very limited planetarium on it.

"Ah, so you made it. Good for you, child. You're the first ten year old that I've seen with lots of guts. Well done." Miles praised.

"Thank you teacher." Shimmer replied in a tired voice.

"I think you need some sleep after your journey. See those stairs at the corner? Walk up to the second storey and you'll see a bedroom at the corner. Don't worry. There is a bed, and I cleaned it specially for you. Go along now."

"Thank you again, teacher." Shimmer replied as she headed towards the stairs.

"Oh, and you may want to um... dry your belongings?"

Shimmer turned to face her still soaking bag, "Oh yeah! I'll um... dry them at a corner. Hehehe..." Rubbing the back of her head, she fished out her soggy belongings. After she laid her bag, pens, papers, books and doll to dry, Shimmer headed up the spiral stairway to the bedroom.

When she reached the second storey, Shimmer headed to a room at a corner, a meter away from the kitchen. She headed to the wooden door. It looked quite old. The wood was filled with holes and dust. Shimmer wondered if there were termites living in there. Grabbing the metal doorknob, she pushed the door open to reveal the bedroom. Inside was a single sized bed with a white bed sheet, blanket and pillow, turning a bit yellowish at the edges. There was also a small oak cabinet for putting her belongings in.

Shimmer let out a loud yawn. She sloppily walked to her bed and slumped herself to bed. She pulled the covers close to her body, trying to trap enough heat to keep herself warm. After all, Shimmer was still trying to recover from the stream incident, and the low temperature in the room wasn't helping her condition at all. It was as though there was an air conditioner being turned on as low as twenty degrees Celsius.

Still shivering, Shimmer squinted her light green eyes, desperately trying to doze off. However, she just couldn't fall asleep. What to do, what to do?

Shimmer tried to recall what her mother told her when she couldn't sleep. It was to relax your mind, and stop thinking about other things. After you've calmed down, you'll find yourself drifting off to dreamland pretty soon. _Relax, Shimmie, relax. Try to imagine that you're going to die soon, and you're going up to heaven and visit your loved ones._It worked. Shimmer wasn't tensed and stressed anymore. She felt that she didn't give a care anymore. Soon, light snoring could be heard echoing in the bedroom.

Let's just say that the world of dreams was a mysterious yet fascinating place. Only if you were sleeping very heavily and very stress free, you were able to visit there. Shimmer wasn't able to catch what happened during her visit, as all the events flashed like a blur.

She was able to remember a dream where her family was tensed up and worried. Her father held the note in his hands, reading the words written on it over and over again. Her mother was hesitating whether or not to call the cops to search for her daughter. Siddeley, on the other hand, was desperately trying to calm them down. Shimmer tried to walk up to them, and tell them that she was safe.

Shimmer woke up, breathing heavily. Did all those events that happened were... true? She tried her best not to think about it so much, and focus on what her life ahead. Climbing out of bed, Shimmer walked out of the room and headed to the first storey. The ten year old wasn't expecting her teacher to be present. As far as Shimmer knew, spirits were only able to come to Earth at the night, and not supposed to approach sunlight, or they would be scattered into pieces, unable to return to heaven or the underworld and start a new life as a living thing.

Rubbing her empty belly, Shimmer began to wonder what she was supposed to eat for breakfast, and where to wash up. Just then, her eyes laid on a note that was attached to a pillar. She walked up to it and tore the note off the pillar. It stated:

_Dear Shimmer, my student,_

_If you are wondering where I am, I must tell you that I am only able to see you at night. I'm a spirit, after all. For your meals, I prepared some food only for today, since this is only your first day living on your own. You can wash up at the stream at the back of the ruins. You must know that this stream runs along the whole forest, so water supply should not be a problem._

_You will begin your training at eight o'clock at night, sharp. Lesson will end around five minutes before the break of dawn. You will have to practice what you have learned in the day._

_It may seem like a lot of hard work, but this is what I can do within my means. You will have to adapt to this type of lifestyle._

_Your teacher,_

_Miles Axelrod_

Training at night and practicing in the day? Now that was tough, alright. That would mean that she would have lesser time to rest, and finding food for herself was something new.

First things first, she needed to wash up and have breakfast. Shimmer jogged out of the building, the fresh morning air greeted her face. Running to the back of the ruins, she found the stream that her teacher mentioned. The water wasn't so clean, as some debris was seen floating at the water's surface. However, what choice did she have? This was the only water supply she was able to find in the forest. Plus, she would be using water from this very stream every day.

Taking a deep breath, Shimmer scooped up some water with her hands and splashed them on her face. An icy feeling tingled on her skin. The water was freezing, as expected. With a grunt, she sat down on the grass and removed her shoes before soaking her feet in the chilly water.

**…**

Night has fallen. Shimmer stood in the chamber, waiting patiently for her teacher. At last, she heard a voice," Glad you are punctual, my student."

"It's my duty, teacher."

"Alright then, shall our lessons begin?"

"Alright. What am I going to learn today?" Shimmer asked enthusiastically, unable to control her excitement.

"Firstly, you need to have basic spy knowledge. I guess you have the information in the spy handbook your father gave you, am I right?"

"Yes, teacher. Should I take it out for reference?" Shimmer asked.

"Not now. Let me test how much you can remember. What are the basic skills a spy must have?"

"Hmmm... you need to know a variety of languages, know how to handle weapons, control of emotions, medical knowledge, escape and evade techniques, social skills, and... I can't remember. There's too many!"

Miles chuckled, "I expected that from a ten year old. However, it's impressive that you can remember that much. I give you claps for that."

"Thank you teacher. What should I start with?" Shimmer asked.

There was silence, until Miles said, "Let's start with physical skills. First, let's see you run from here to that wall over there and run back again."

**…**

"Mmph, yes. Better than the last round by 7 seconds. Well done." Miles complemented.

Breathing heavily, Shimmer was drenched and her clothing soaked in sweat after all the training.

Suddenly, Miles said, "I should go now, it's almost dawn. Have a good rest before practicing. Good luck." After that, Shimmer could feel his presence no longer. The first rays of dawn leaked into the chamber. She let out a yawn, before heading to her bedroom to rest, before starting her training in the afternoon.

I'm trying my best not to rush the story, so I'll try to explain about Shimmer's training in detail. So, my computer time will stick to 2-3 hours until my September holidays (which lasts for a week. FTW). I'm also sticking to the British spelling, and not the American one.

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter; I took ages to type this.**


	7. VII - Realization

Chapter VII—Realization

"What in the world am I reading?" Finn asked calmly at first, casting a glance at Holley. Holley stood rooted to the ground, biting her lower lip. Finn took a deep breath, before repeating his question. "What am I reading, Holley?" Holley did not respond. Finn's expression turned from neutral to anger and impatience. "Just what do you think I'm reading?! Tell me, Holley!" Finn was apparently yelling right now. He grabbed Holley's shoulder on impulse, before hurling her to the ground. Holley's eyes widened in fear.

His expression turned from anger to sadness. "What do you think this is? Is this some sort of trick? I really don't know… If this letter was meant to make me lose my senses, then it's working!" He crushed the letter into a ball and hurled it to the floor.

Holley crawled to Finn. "Don't cry, Finn. We will find a way to solve this. Maybe it's just a prank Shimmer made up. Maybe she got over her failure and returned to her old, mischievous self. She must be hiding outside, maybe up at a tree. You never know."

Finn sighed heavily, "No, I checked everywhere, in the house and even the boundaries. I can't find her. I sent Sid to search for her. He should be returning soon."

"Finn! _pant _I can't _pant _find her _pant _anywhere!" Siddeley burst open the door, panting so hard as if he had just ran 10 kilometers without a break.

Finn and Holley groaned.

"What now?" Finn asked, with weariness visible in his voice.

"I suggest… we let her be." Holley replied, much to Finn's shock. "Maybe what the letter stated is true. I think we should let her be."

"Are you sure about this, Holley?"

Holley nodded confidently. "I'm sure." _I have confidence that my little girl's grown up now, and she's going to pursue her own goals and dreams._

**…**

That night, Finn tossed and turned in bed. There is no way things would be _that _simple. Something, or someone must have lured her. And whatever or whoever it was, he had to admit, they were real skilled. Shimmer is as stubborn as a mole, making her change her mind was a challenge, even for her parents.

However, Finn wouldn't let the matter rest. Unless he knows what is going on, he's not letting this matter slip…

**…**

Training went smoothly. After all, it was just running. Shimmer was wondering where she would obtain her daily meals. Her mentor wasn't going to provide for her. After thinking for a while, she got fed up, as she had no clue on how to obtain food.

"Argh! I GIVE UP! THIS IS SO—"

Something fell on her head. She looked down and picked it up. It was an apple. Shimmer looked up. An apple tree! Finally, she found a food source! "Yay! But.. how am I supposed to reach those apples _all _the way up there?" Her instincts told her to climb up the tree. Shimmer tried, but in every attempt she made, she ended up sliding down the trunk.

"OH COME ON! THERE'S GOT TO BE AN EASIER WAY!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Her eyes then laid on a blackberry bush. "Hehehe, silly me."

**…**

"How are you coping? Fine, I assume." Miles said as soon as Shimmer ran into the chamber.

"Okay, I guess."

"Alright then. Shall our lessons begin?"

"Yuppers."

"Let's see, you need to be physically strong before we move on to the next stage. For now, I'll tell you what to do. First…

**…**

Physical strength is essential for a spy, and for the past few weeks, she had been endlessly exercising, and as the lessons extended, Miles started to push her harder, testing her limits. At first Shimmer got worn out and tired easily, but soon her stamina started to show signs of improvement. Three weeks later, Shimmer was assigned for a test-which is to run two and a half kilometers.

"I'm not sure that I can do this… even a seventh grader has trouble running 1.6 kilometers." Shimmer said with doubt. Finn usually would joke about seventh graders struggling to run 1.6 kilometers, which was true, because during his time when he was an eighth grader, he would joke with Leland about seventh graders failing to pass their physical education tests, which was to run 1.6 km around the academy.

"Yes, that's the reason why I'm training you like this-which is to be ahead of others. Do you understand?"

Shimmer nodded gingerly. Being ahead of others? Her mentor sure has high expectations of her. Thus, she didn't want to disappoint him, neither make him think that she is not a student worthy to be under his teaching.

Shimmer jogged down the dark, dimly lighted path ahead of her. She had to jog, as it was difficult to see what was ahead of you in the middle of the night in the forest. Besides, she didn't want to trip over rocks and rotting logs and get injured.

The new moon was barely visible in the inky, dark night sky, hardly any stars could be spotted. The night air was extremely chilly, and not just that, it was piercing through Shimmer's dedicate, pale skin, like sewing needles piercing through her. She tried her best not to shiver, but she couldn't help it; the harsh cold air was too much to bear for a ten year old.

Finally, after fifteen minutes of jogging, Shimmer squatted down and wrapped her arms tightly, trying to trap some body heat to warm herself before she could continue jogging.

However, something was glowing from the bushes. Yes, it was a very pale blue glow. Curiosity got the better of her as Shimmer gingerly crept to the strange yet beautiful glow. Brushing away the leaves, Shimmer eyes settled on a pale blue egg, which was about the size of an ostrich egg, only smaller. It glowed softly, and strangely, the atmosphere surrounding the egg was unusually warm and peaceful, as if the egg served as a campfire.

Shimmer was shocked beyond words. Sure, she did read fairy tales about magical eggs that hatched into enchanted creatures with extraordinary powers, and it was hard to believe that she would actually stumble upon a 'magical' egg in real life; if it were really magical. If she were to carry the egg home to her parents and claim that it were magical, they would just shake their hands nonchalantly and say, "Shimmie, dear. It probably might be some joker who painted the egg with glow-in-the-dark paint. Plus, you do know that magical eggs only exist in fairy tales."

Whatever it was, Shimmer decided to bring it back to show her mentor; maybe he would know whether this were really a magical egg or some plaster egg coated with glow-in-the-dark paint. As Shimmer picked up the egg with both arms, it was surprisingly as light as air. Now she was beginning to suspect that this was a plaster egg after all.

"Shimmer, why did you stop? And what's that you're holding on to? Some sort of gas lamp?" Miles questioned his student as he floated a feet above her. If he were visible to the naked eye, he would be seen glaring daggers at the glow-in-the-dark egg.

"Um, teacher? May I ask you a question, if that's okay with you?" Shimmer said, voice trembling.

"Sure. What is it?"

Shimmer flashed the egg in front of her and asked, "Is this a magical egg, or some sort of plaster egg coated with glow-in-the-dark paint?"

"Tap the egg. If it's hollow then it's fake."

_Tap tap tap. _Much to Shimmer's joy, it didn't make a hollow noise. "OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH! IT REALLY IS A MAGICAL EGG! I'M GONNA INCUBATE IT RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Miles grunted softly. "Oh, and err… After placing the egg back in my room, I'll continue with the test."

"Acknowledged."

"YAY!"

**…**

Shimmer was seen pacing around her tiny bedroom, groaning impatiently, with her arms behind her back, like an impatient person waiting for his client to arrive. "Oh come on! How long does it take for an egg to hatch?!"

"Be patient, Shimmer. This is no regular egg you're incubating here." Miles said in a parently tone.

"I'm sick of waiting! It's been a week!" Shimmer grumbled in annoyance as she glared daggers at the egg, now wrapped in a blanket and tucked on top of a pillow. Suddenly, she heard the cracking of the egg shell. Shimmer perked up in excitement. "OH MY GOSH! IT'S HAPPENING!" Soon, the crack was visible, and it created a vertical jagged line. The egg cracked in half, and a piercing light flooded the room. It was so bright that Shimmer had to shield her eyes with her arms. "Owchie! My eyes!" As Shimmer removed her arms from her eyes, she gasped.

There lay a pale blue bird the size of Shimmer's palm. It was translucent and had a ghostly like figure. It kind of reminded her of baby phoenixes she saw in her fairy tale books. Except this baby phoenix looked more of a ghost, a lunar phoenix… kinda.

Shimmer approached the bird, who stared blankly at her. "Hello there, little one. My name's Shimmer. Are you really a phoenix?"

It stared at her blankly.

"Say, you look more of a… ghostly one. Maybe a lunar phoenix? I don't know if there is such thing as a lunar phoenix, but you're real unique! Are you a male or a female?"

It blinked.

"You look like a female. So, I'll call you… erm… Luna! Isn't that sweet?"

Luna flapped its wings eagerly, as if impressed with its new name.

"There! Luna it is! Say, what do you eat? Worms?" Shimmer questioned the phoenix.

"As far as I know, phoenixes would eat meat. Take mice, birds, or worms. As long as it's meat." Miles said in a knowledgeable tone.

"Wait… meat. OH MY GOSH! WHAT IF IT EATS ME?!" Shimmer shrieked in horror.

Miles chuckled in amusement, "No, probably not. You're its owner, and I'm positively sure it doesn't feast on its owner. If you take good care of it and not abuse it, that is."

Shimmer nodded, letting her mentor's words sink in. "Sounds easy enough. Let's get you food, okey dokey?" Luna squawked in delight as the ten year old dashed out of the room, giggling.

**...**

This mission was going to be real tough. Firstly, Finn had not the faintest idea where Shimmer might be right now. Secondly, he didn't attach any tracking device on her. Lastly, he had no clue who or what might harm her while she was all alone in the dangerous, outside world, causing Finn to not be able to concentrate properly.

"Blimey, I don't think that I can handle this alone." Finn thought dully to himself. Suddenly, as if he were struck by lightning, he snapped to himself, "Snap out of it, Finn! She's your daughter for god damn's sake! When does the greatest spy in CHROME give up so easily?"

So this was his plan: He was going to search dilapidated houses, adandoned alleyways and places that hardly ever accessed to. After a week, if he was still unsuccessful, he would call the cops to assist him. Also, with additional help from Holley and Siddeley, Shimmer would be found without much difficulty.

**...**

Swinging her legs, Shimmer lay on her stomach as she watched her pet phoenix peck on some earthworms. She could tell that Luna was starving, as it was hastily pecking away its food.

Shimmer decided to start a conversation. She cleared her throat and said, "So, Luna, are you enjoying your food?"

Luna perked up its head and nodded.

Shimmer beamed. "I'm glad to hear that. Anyway, ermm... I know that it's s little early to ask, but, do you like me?" She ended by staring off to another direction.

Luna thought for a while, before nodding slowly.

"Yay!" Shimmer cheered. "Are you alright coping by yourself in the night? I have lessons."

Luna nodded its tiny head.

"What a relief! I'll try to spend as much time with you whenever I can, and that's a promise."

It squawked cheerfully. Shimmer flashed a warm smile, before yawning. "Let's go to sleep, okay?" She scooped up the phoenix in her arms as she headed back to the building where she lived.

Upon reaching her room, Shimmer used a pair of rusty scissors to cut a home in her pillow, to serve as a nest for Luna. It rested comfortably.

As soon as Shimmer dozed off, she found herself in the land of dreams again. She was back in the master bedroom, and she saw Holley seated at the edge of the bed, staring at the inky night sky.

"Mother?" She questioned softly. However, Holley couldn't hear her. She continued to stare out through the window

"Mother?" Shimmer questioned again, raising her voice slightly. No response.

Holley stared down on the floor and smiled to herself, before tucking herself to bed. Shimmer thought she could hear her mumble something.

"My daughter, I hope that you are safe and sound. Mother loves you."

**Guess what? My dad bought me a new smartphone! Now I can check my mail and surf the internet without having to use the computer! Apologies for not updating for ages, you know, school and all.**

**I just thought if I could make some scenes for this fic, but that will depend on how much free time and inspiration I have. Maybe I can draw Holley and Finn. Ehheh, maybe as children or something. But first, I've got to practice. **

**I AM absolutely going to draw Luna. Any advice to share? Contact me here or through my DA account.**


	8. VIII - A new Friend

Chapter VIII-A new friend

Well, that was the most weirdest reaction Shimmer had ever expected from her mother, to say at least. Dragging herself sloppily out of bed, Shimmer rubbed her light green eyes. Her eyes rested on Luna, who was starting to doze off, it being a nocturnal animal and all.

"Wakey wakey Woona. Time for breakfast." Shimmer nudged gently at her pet phoenix. It refused to wake up at first, before gingerly fluttering open its pale blue eyes. The young girl grinned widely at her pet.

She scooped up the bird in her arms and dashed down the stairs. Shimmer was extremely hungry today, and she couldn't wait to stuff her face with food.

Grabbing a wicker basket, Shimmer placed Luna in it and left to pick fruits for her breakfast. The berries were extremely fresh this season, It's bright skin gleamed under the sunlight. The girl swiftly picked them, twisting the fruits to break the stem, before dumping them in the wicker basket. The phoenix squawked when the berries are being thrown in its face.

Shimmer turned her head around "Oops, sorry Woona. Got too hungry to realise that you're in there." She placed the basket. You wanna go back home and sleep? I forgot that you're nocturnal." Luna nodded its head eagerly.

After settling her morning routine which involves washing up and eating, Shimmer hurried to train, involving strength, agility, eccentric, interval and continuous training. Heck, and how strenuous it was. Climbing, running, swimming and so on. Every now and then, Shimmer just wanted to collapse her limp body on the mint green grass.

"May God bless me for my future training..."

Just as she finished talking, Shimmer heard a rustling noise from the bushes. Whatever it was, she sensed that it was coming this way! Shimmer started acting paranoid. "OHMYGOSHWHOSETHEREDONTHURTMEICOMEINPEACETEACHERHE LPAHHEEKI'MGONNADIE!" **(I'll give you a cyber cookie if you can guess what she's yelling.)**

A head poked out of the bushes. "Calm down genius." The voice belonged to a young boy around the age of eleven. Shimmer stopped shrieking like a madwoman and stared at the boy who emerged from the bushes. He had jet black hair, chestnut brown eyes and fair skin. He wore a midnight black shirt and dark blue shorts and wore dark indigo shoes. _Practically, this guy is all about dark colours. He looks like a bat. _Shimmer thought to herself.

The boy forgave Shimmer for shrieking. He extended his hand, "Name's Artemis. Nice to meet you."

"Err... nice to meet you." Shimmer said as she hesitantly shook the boy's hand. "What are you doing here in this forest anyways? Where are your parents?"

Artemis winced and bowed his head slightly at the word 'parents'. The ten year old noticed his reaction and decided to change the topic, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about them. Are you passing by or what?"

Artemis shook his head. "No. I live here."

Shimmer's eyes lit up as she bounced up and down in excitement. "Awesome! Where do you live?"

"At the ruins of the lost city."

_Wait. _Shimmer thought. _If he lives at the same place as I do, why haven't I seen him before? _"Have you been away the past few weeks?"

"Yup. I left four weeks ago to explore the deeper parts of the forest. It's my assignment from my teacher."

"Wait. What kind of teacher?"

"I know its hard to believe, but I have a phantom teacher. He said he had a new student, and I think it's... you?"

By now, Shimmer was bouncing everywhere, as if in a hyper sugar rush. "OHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH! We're buddies!"

Artemis, on the other hand, watched bewilderedly. "Err... okay. I've got a pet Nighthawk. Name's Nero."

"Ooh." Shimmer replied, impressed as she had never seen a Nighthawk before, "You'll never guess what kind of pet I have!"

"Is it an owl?"

"Nope."

"Is it a Python?"

"Nope."

"Is it a bat?"

"Nope!"

"Is it a fox?"

"Nope nopety nope!"

Artemis stomped his feet in defeat, "Alright, I give up! Spill the beans!"

"It's a phoenix!" Shimmer replied proudly, holding her head up high in the air.

Artemis frowned, "You've _got_ to be over exaggerating. Phoenixes only exist in legends and fairy tales."

Shimmer rolled her eyes annoyingly, "No, dummy. Her name's Luna. She's at my room now, and should probably be waking up, since it's late evening now. Are you in or not?"

Artemis thought for a while, before nodding his head in agreement. "Sounds good to me. Besides, we can have dinner together."

**...**

"Woah. What kind of meat is this? It tastes awesome." Shimmer asked as she was tearing the meat with her teeth and gobbling it down her throat.

"Antelope meat. I shot one during my way back and decided to make it my dinner. At first I thought of keeping the remaining meat for breakfast the next day, since I couldn't finish it all by myself. But now, it looks like I have to share it."

Shimmer flashed a small yet appreciative smile to him, "Why, thank you."

"It's... n-nothing." Artemis replied between stammers as he rubbed the back of his neck, "It's something anyone would do."

The two kids were seated just outside the city, seated on oak logs and had a campfire that glowed brightly as the sun during the calm and peaceful night. The stars were extra radiant that night, making the inky black sky looked extra elegant.

"Artemis, if you don't mind me asking, have you befriended anyone before?" Shimmer asked out of the blue.

Artemis stammered and mumbled softly to himself. To be honest, he didn't know how to answer her question. It's not as if anyone had asked him this question before. He twirled his fingers around, racking his brain to come up with a answer.

Shimmer noticed his feelings of uncomfortableness immediately, "I never had a friend before." Shimmer piped up, in hope to make Artemis feel less awkward and make him feel better. In fact, what she said earlier was the honest truth.

"Yeah, me too." Artemis replied moments later.

There was an awkward silence between the two children. After what felt like an hour, which was in actual fact a couple of minutes, Artemis broke the silence, "So... friends?"

The ten year old beamed, as though she stroke lucky and got a jackpot, "Yup! And maybe our pets will too!" Saying this, she placed Luna next to Nero. Naturally, they just stand in position and stared into space.

**...**

The skillful and highly intelligent British spy lurked in the shadows of the forest, aiming his flashlight low at the ground. Surely, _surely _his daughter must be here, somewhere in the forest. He prayed silently to himself every few minutes that his daughter would be safe from any kind of danger that lurks in the forest.

He was no one other than Finn Mcmissle.

Suddenly, as far as his eye could see, was a faint, flickering amber glow that belonged to a campfire, and when there are campfire, there are travelers. Maybe Finn could ask them if they saw a ten year old girl with indigo hair, fair skin and light green eyes.

With a glimmer of hope in his heart, Finn dashed directly to the glow of the campfire as though he saw a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

**...**

"Did you hear that Artemis? Sound of footsteps? Someone's approaching!" Shimmer said frantically.

"Then we'd better hide." Artemis said as he and his friend scooped up their pets and dashed into the city. Just then, Finn emerged from the shadows.

**...**

"Teacher! Someone's out there! Save us!" The two kids yelled to their mentor as they scurried into the chamber, where he was frequently seen. However, he was not present.

"Darn it!" Artemis cursed under his breath as he stomped his foot angrily, "where is he when you need him?!"

Shimmer shrugged her shoulders. "Adults are always like that. They don't take action until something happens." _Typical adults. _The girl muttered sarcastically.

**...**

Finn was scratching the back of his neck, bewildered. "What? I thought I heard people scurrying away. Am I really that scary?" Suddenly, Finn felt the wind shift and the leaves on the branches of trees rustled without the aid of wind. He felt a chilly breeze past, sending shivers down to every bone in his body.

"Who's there?" Finn questioned the darkness and spun around to see nothing but darkness.

Inky black darkness.

Out of a sudden, he was pushed violently to the ground and landed roughly on the forest floor. "Ouch, what's the big deal? Have I entered a tribe's territory?" Finn groaned as he tried to stand on his feet, but was pushed again just as he regained balance. _Who, or what is pushing me? _

"Stay away." A deep, male voice whispered into Finn's ear

"What? Who's there?" Finn yelled as he spun around, trying to catch his offender.

"Stay away, I said, and don't you even dare think of returning."

"_Excuse_ me, who do you think you're talking to like that? No one simply asks a Mcmissile to scram. Who do you think you are anyway?"

"Get. LOST!" The voice bellowed, it's voice echoing through the woods. Finn was extremely puzzled. _Who or what is communicating with me? It can't be a ghost, can't it? _The british spy took on his heels and madly dashed off from the forest without turning back. He did not stop until he was out from the forest area, panting wildly.

After catching his breath, Finn decided that he had enough excitement foe the night. As he casually strolled back home, he stared into space and thought to himself. _Someone doesn't want me anywhere near that forest. But why? What is he hiding from me? I can't let this mattrr slip just like that. I've got to investigate, and I'll have backup with me at the next meeting. Look out, whoever you are._

**...**

Shimmer was drumming her fingers impatiently on the concrete floor, her brows frowning. "What the hell is taking him so long?!"

Artemis, on the other hand, was trying his best to be patient, but he didn't know how much longer he can wait. "He probably has some errands to run. Be patient." Artemis chided Shimmer, like a father lecturing his daughter.

"I'm sick of waiting!" Shimmer complained as she grunted, almost like she's yelling.

Finally, after what seemed like a century to Shinmer, which was in actual fact forty five minutes, Miles returned, much to the children's delight. "FINALLY! What took you so long?!" His two students shrieked in annoyance.

"Sorry kiddos. I got an urgent errand to run just now. Alright, I believed that my dear Artemis had introduced himself earlier."

"...and?"

"And... I've decided that you tutor my younger student. How's that sound like?"

Artemis nearly chocked on his own saliva. "WHAT?! B-but I'm not a good tutor. I've no experience!" The eleven year old retorted.

"That's no excuse, Artemis. I believed that I've trained you well, better than CHROME did, I believe."

"Stop bringing up that stupid spy academy." Artemis retorted. Shimmer thought that she could see liquid forming at the edge of his eyes, "If you want me to tutor her, fine. I accept. Whatever you do, don't bring up that fucking academy anymore."

"You are a bright kid, boy. Share your knowledge with your friend " Miles instructed.

"Come, follow me." Artemis said flatly as he took Shimmer's hand and dragged her outside.

Once they were outside, Shimmer couldn't resist but ask, "why do you hate CHROME so much? Were the people mean there? Did they hurt you?" Shimmer's voice turned into a timid whisper, afraid to enrage her friend.

"They are murderers. They took my parents away from my life. I hate them, may they burn in hell."

How, exactly did CHROME turn Artemis' life upside down? Shimmer was hungry for more information, but this time she remained as silent as the wind that now remained as still as ever.

**So sorry for making you guys wait so long and the super short, sloppy chapter. I just ran out of friggin' ideas. **

**If you want to see a picture of Luna (the pet) in adult version, it's here: /d6kpqn2 ****I'll replace the picture by using a scanner, soon.**


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